Best suited for TWO ADULT GUESTS ONLY
that are looking for a unique experience that combines the rustic charm of a classic train coach with the added touch of a highly creative surrounding atmosphere. All of the ingredients are here to discover, stimulate and inspire the creative spirit that resides in all of us. We have been told by friends, visiting artists and other creatively minded people that spending time on our property seems to open a space in their personal life that invites inspiration.

Guest Access

WITHIN A FIVE MINUTE WALK FROM THE CABOOSE :

THE OLD PLACE RESTAURANT-
Open Thursday and Friday starting at 4:00 pm for dinner and Saturday and Sunday for breakfast on through the dinner hour starting at 9:00 am. THE CORNELL WINERY-TASTING ROOM - GALLERY -
Open Thursday through Sunday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Meet people from the local area and many that stop by from out of town, state or even visitors from other countries to sample the local wines and make new friends.

Charme d'Antand antique store -(website hidden)
Stroll through almost an acre of authentic hand picked stone fountains, statuary, antique doors, windows and gates, outdoor furniture and other yard fixtures on display for purchase. Inside the main building you will find furniture, lamps, paintings, antique kitchen supplies etc. on and on.
PETER STRAUSS RANCH NATIONAL PARK-
(website hidden)
For a leisure walk or hike on easy to moderate trails in a completely natural setting. Seasonal creek, Picnic tables, Historic stone house, Special music events, Weddings, etc.

WITHIN A 10 to 20 MINUTE WALK FROM THE CABOOSE:
TROUTDALE FISHING FARM:
you will be able to fish for rainbow trout in two man made ponds, very popular.
RUSTIC CANYON GRILL AND GROCERY:
your basic local color and great western style food like Tri Tip Chili, Hamburgers, Tacos, etc. Small country grocery store, Classic gift shop.
SIP - WINE TASTING AND MUSIC: An up scale and comfortable wine tasting venue with comfortable tables under the Oak trees.
THE ROCK STORE:
famous as a weekend motorcycle hangout. Breakfast, BBQ lunch, Beer, etc. etc. Experience one of the most interesting collection of people and their machines that you will ever encounter. Lots of fun.

WITHIN AN EASY DRIVING DISTANCE YOU WILL FIND:
Some of the other interesting locations that make this area unique within a ten to fifteen minute drive from the caboose. are several state and national parks like PARAMOUNT RANCH STATE PARK: (website hidden)
its western town movie set where many of your favorite old western movies and TV shows like Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman were made for example.
MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK:
with incredible hiking and bike trails and more familiar movie sets like the Planet of the Apes and the set for the TV series M.A.S.H.
A HINDU TEMPLE : is located on a few miles west of Malibu Creek State Park on Los Virgenes Road or Malibu Canyon Road. Here you are welcome to stroll through the grounds (shoes off) to see the amazing hindu architecture and even participate in any ceremony or event that happens to be going on at any time. Very friendly and inspirational place.

ALL OF THE MALIBU BEACHES: from the Pier in Malibu on up the Pacific Coast Hwy. are only 15 to 20 minutes away. Accessible by one of two beautiful routes through the Santa Monica Mountains, KANAN Road or Malibu Canyon Road.

As your hosts, we will be happy to guide you to some of the special Santa Monica Mountain points of interest and Coastal State Parks that lay to the north of Malibu, beautiful places that one might miss if you did not know about them.

Interaction with Guests

We will be present on the property during your stay to answer questions and introduce you to the amenities of the neighborhood and the surrounding area so that you can make the best use of your time during your stay. Otherwise, you will have a very private Caboose up on the hill with incredible views of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The Neighborhood

The surrounding neighborhood is rich with a colorful history as well as many local shops and stores, restaurants, theaters, winery's, etc. that we can direct you to once we know what it is that you are looking for. We have lived on the property and in the area for over 35 years and are happy to share our neighborhood with you.

Getting around

Since we are located three miles from any public transit, it is advised that our guest's have their own vehicle with which they can use to get around with. There is adequate and secure parking for our guest's vehicle near the Caboose, and a private entrance gate to the property that we will show our guest(s) how to open and close.

Other Things to Note

We have been told that there is a romantic quality to spending the night in our luxury caboose, it is perfect for a couple to share an intimate evening together in a peaceful, private place. The setting and surrounding property lends itself to the creation of some unforgettable photography.
There are wild peacocks and a variety of other wild birds that over the years have found that our property is a "safe haven" to the point that one would think that they are almost domesticated pets. Hummingbirds, Parrots, Snowy egrets, Grey Herron's, Woodpeckers, Bluejays, Crows and Ravens, etc. A large variety of hawks and falcons live and hunt in the area and at night, you may hear the sounds of owl's calling to each other from the treetops.

There is an onsite metal sculpting and iron working studio on our property that is active from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm each weekday Monday through Friday. For the most part, any metal working sounds will be held to a minimum during the morning hours when we have guests. From 3:00 pm on, there is no work done in the studio and all is quiet. We also ask that unless invited into this studio area, during the above mentioned working hours that this studio and the people in it be left undisturbed.

SMOKING: Out of respect for those that do not smoke and are offended by the left over odor there is a "NO SMOKING INSIDE THE CABOOSE" rule. Out of respect for those that enjoy smoking, you may smoke out on the deck or almost anywhere outside if you choose, we ask that our guests that wish to smoke observe that we are in a delicate semi-wilderness environment and that smokers use all reasonable precautions with extinguishing their smokes in a safe and responsible manner, and that they do not leave any Smokers Trash (Butts & Filters) laying about (We supply a 1940's covered ashtray for outside smoking :) )

PETS: It is best if we do not allow guest's to bring pets. We raise West Highland White Terriers and have other dogs on the property. We also have a Great Dane and a Chihuahua all of whom are friendly, are used to dealing with the wild peacocks and each other. Bringing other animals especially other dogs into their territory can be disruptive and make for time spent dealing with that instead of relaxing and enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

96 Reviews

It is an absolutely amazing experience for us. Douglas is a great host, he welcomed us by giving our six-year old girl three beautiful feathers of peacock, and later he taught her how to be an expert to feed the peacocks at the front yard of his studio. Everything inside the caboose is perfect, outside the caboose is just like a wonderland. Waking up to the sound of hummingbirds and bluejays, I actually saw three peacocks relaxing on our deck. In walking distance, the dinner at the Old Place, it really gives our unique experience a unforgettable touch.

Such an unbelievable experience and accommodation! We wanted to get away for a night in Malibu and this exceeded our expectation tremendously. The Caboose is beautifully furnished on a magnificent piece of land. We were surprised to learn, after the fact, that the Caboose has quite a history and storybook full of others who have shared the experience. Douglas and Diana were both very helpful in directions, communication, and giving us recommendations on dinner and star gazing. Thank you for such a phenomenal stay. We will be certain to share this hidden gem with others so they can experience the stay as well!

We had an absolutely wonderful stay at the Caboose, and enjoyed every minute of our escape from LA. It was so much more than your average AirBNB. Douglas and Diana were wonderful hosts and have taken the time to create a truly unique, one of a kind experience. There are so many thoughtful personal touches from an introduction to the manager of 'Old Place' for our dinner reservation to taking the time to show us the property, feeding the peacocks, a fully stocked mini-fridge, beautiful welding work and sculptures around the property, getting to check-out Doug's incredible work in his studio and really taking the time to make us feel welcome and part of the community. Thank you for making it such a special and wonderful birthday for my girlfriend!

The caboose was amazing and will certainly be returning. It was a wonderful experience and host was very accommodating. It's also walking distance from one of LA's best kept secrets - The Old Place restaurant.

It is not only a caboose stay (which sent you right back to travel in orient express era), but also an inside tour of an artist'a studio and his neighborhood . Douglas and Diana welcome us by making a reservation at the "old place" restaurant , which is a local legendary place in Cornell. We met Douglas at "old place" ( like we are old friends ) and he introduced us to the chef and manager to make sure we would be well taken care of at dinner and we really did! Feel so special , chef come out after dinner to greet us, we felt so embraced by the community. Staying at this caboose also gave us a rare chance to access an american artist's work and life. Douglas is a good story teller too... We enjoyed listening to his story of this caboose and his artist life ... Wish we can sit on top of the caboose and listen to Douglas' story while watching sunset over Santa Monica mountain again ...thanks Douglas and Diana for the experience ...

This is the perfect place to stay. Douglas and Diana are perfect hosts: they understand how to be accommodating and helpful, yet realize when to allow you your privacy. The Caboose is beautiful and inviting and such a great escape. Plus, the nearby The Old Place restaurant is one of the greatest finds in the Los Angeles area. Would love to stay there again. And will.

About the Host, Diana And Douglas

My husband is an artist (Sculptor and cubist painter) I invent products (babies and canines) We love to travel and make new friends :)
We have a Great Dane Harlequin, a Chihuahua and 4 West Highland White Terriers.
Peacocks come and visit, there is a 40 foot Koi pond, lots of sculptures on 2.5 acres.
On mondays the two men crew of 25 years will start working nearby and maybe wake you up! If you are a light sleeper only book your stay for Friday and Saturday nights so you can sleep in.
Sometimes you will hear coyotes howl during the night or full moon.